Improved lumber-raft



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. TOWAR, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVED LUMBEFt-RAFT.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,311.3, dated April 28, 1863.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Beit known that I, GEORGE W. TOWAR, of Detroit, in the countyof Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and lmprove Lumberltaft; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ot' the same, reference being had to the accompanying' drawings, forming apart of this speciiication, in which- Figure l represents a longitudinal vertical section of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same.

Similar letters of reference in the three views indica-te corresponding parts.

The nature ot'my invention consists in constructing a rait of timber so bound and fastened together by means .of timbers, pickets, withes, and chains as to render it a safe and cheap mode ot' transporting lumber and timber through the lakes and rivers of the United States and other countries.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the drawings.

I construct my raft or crib (two or more cribs constituting a raft) by placing upon the Water, side by side and parallel to each other, pieces of timber or floats a., varying inlength and number, according to the size of the crib to be built. Through the outside timbers of the bottom timbers and through each end of each of the bottom timbers, at a distance in the side timbers of from tive to eight feet apart, are driven tough, hard, wood saplings or pickets B, perpendicularly, varying in diameter from four to seven inches, and from twelve to fifteen feet long. These pickets are driven through a four-inch auger-hole, when the timbers are canted over and the pickets wedged iirmly from the bottom. The timbers are again ri ghted, when cross-timbers or traverse-poles b are drawn across the bottom timbers at right angles to them-one at each end-and at every eighteen to twenty-iive feet apart in the intermediate distance. The traversepoles at each end are fastened to the side bottom timbers by chains passing through the bottom timbers and through or around the traverse-pole and hauled up taut. The traverse-poles are fastened to the intermediate bottom timbers by means of heavy hardwood pins driven through the traverse-poles and into the timbers and heavy chains or withes which are passed around the bottoin timbers and over the traverse-poles and twisted up tightly. The traverse-poles in the intermediate distance ofthe two ends are fastened in the same manner ot' those just described, exceptingthat I dispense with chains at the ends of the traverse-poles, using withes instead. Near each end, and at a distance from ten to fourteen feet apart, are placed four heavy pickets or tow-posts, G, two on each side ot' the central bottom timber. These are driven through the bottom timbers and wedged in the same manner as the side and end pickets described above. Through the central bottom timbers and equidistant from the four tow-posts a large hole is bored to receive the chain that the crib is drawn by, and that is attached to the coupling-chain f. This chain is ot requisite strength, and passes from below upward, with a ring at its lower extremity, through which may be passed a plug to prevent it slipping through the hole. This chain is maintained in an upright position to the height of twelve or fifteen feet, in any temporary manner, until the loading of 'the crib is completed, when it makes one turn around a windlass provided for the purpose, and it is ready for hitching to the couplingchain.

For additional strength and security of the bottom of the crib, I pass a chain, c, through each end ot' each of the bottom timbers i'rom side to side of the crib and at about two feet from the ends ot' the timbers. The chain is drawn up tightly, one end having a ring to prevent it slipping through the holes and the other end being fastened in any convenient manner, either by another ring made for the purpose or by taking a half-turn around the timber and tying it to itself on the opposite side. The crib now being made ready to receiveits loading, irst boards are placed ou their edges on the outside bottom timbers and against the pickets, extending completely around the inside ot' the crib. These boards act as boxing to keep the lumber from working out. Then the loading is placed on in the followingmanner: First, two courses of boards or timber are placed onthe bott-om timbers athwartships of the crib and so placed that each course shall break the joints of the next preceding course. Then three courses of boards are placed running fore and aft of the l neither function interfering with the other, crib. and so placed that each course shall because when the anchor is let go the towbieak the joints of the next preceding course, as described above. Then two courses are placed athwartships again, and then fore and aft, and so on, alternating with two courses athwartships and three fore and aft, until about three-fourths of the loadingis received, when timbers or wales G are hauled up and placed on the outside, extending completely around the crib. These Wales are secured to their places by chains d, passing through the Wale and running across the crib from one Wale to the other of the opposite side. These chains are from ten to fifteen feet from vthe end of the Wale, and are furnished with a ring at one end to preventit slipping through, and the other end being fastened in any convenient manner. y

The chains confining the Wale at each end of the crib are fastened to the chain confining the opposite Wales on the side. These wales serve to strengthen and protect the pickets and give additional strength to the crib. The loading is now continued until completion, When traverse-poles b are hauled across and placed, by means of holes bored for the purpose, on each picket extending from the picket of one side to its fellow of the opposite sida, each end of the traverse-pole being wedged down firmly to the picket.

0n the four tow-posts of each end of the crib, before mentioned, are first placed short traversepoles athwartships, and on top of these and passing over the tow-posts are placed longitudinal timbers, forming a frame, C', for the reception of a windlass, D, for the draft-chains f to pass over, and is also used to regulate the distance of the cribs A A', one from the other, because while in calm weather a raft draws much easier by having the cribs drawn closely together, yet in rough Weather it is necessary to have them twenty to forty feet asuiider to prevent them from striking against one another, and that they may yield more freely to the seas by having more scope of chain.

On the bow crib, A, of each raft, one or more anchors, E, are carried, with requisite length of cable, and the Windlass on the crib serves the double purpose of receiving the draft-chain, also of hoisting the anchor, should it be necessary to let it go during the trip,

line is always cast oft', and not made fast again until the anchor is hove up. The boW crib differs from the others in that the forward end is pointed, which facilitates towing by offering less resistance to the Water, and there is much less stra-in on the cable when lying at anchor in heavy Weather, When the boats are not able to hold the raft.

The principle of constructing the bow crib is not essentially different from that of the square crib. Outside bottom timbers are used the saine as for the square cribs, then two other timbers, of half the length of these parallel outside timbers, are chained rmly to the ends of the parallel outside timbers, when they converge to 'a point, meeting each other, where they are fastened by a chain ruiming through each of them and also through the central bottom timber. rlhe bottom ltimbers, between the outside and center sticks, are ot' unequal length, to accommodate themselves to the angle formed by the two sticks forming the point. The middle timbers are fastened to these outside timbers by inea-iis of chains or Witlies. 0n the top of the bow-point, in addition to the usual wiiidlass and frame, there are two longitudinal timbers, g, parallel with each other, that run from the forward cross-traverse pole ofthe windlass-frainc, and, passing over the two eXtreme pickets ot' the bow, project a little over the bow to receive and support a roller, la, for the cable to run over for greater ease in hoisting anchor.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. rlhe formation of the bow crib, A, as shown and described.

2. rI he arrangement of the windlnsses D l),

at the ends of each crib, for the purpose of producing an adjustable coupling, as specified. 3. The pickets B, in the sides and end of cribs, in combination with fenders or Wales G, inclosing and protecting pickets, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The traverse-timbers b b', securing the bottoms and tops of cribs, as described.

GEO. NV. TOWAR. Witnesses A. S. Tovvnn, JAMES HOLD-IAN. 

